Round five of the Carling Currie Cup First Division also took place on Saturday with all four home teams ending on the winning side.
The defending champions, the Leopards, bounced back to winning ways after two defeats to beat the Valke 25-15 in Potchefstroom; the Zimbabwe Goshawks hosted the Boland Kavaliers in Cape Town and edged the Wellington-based team 23-22 in a thrilling match; the Down Touch Griffons ran out 40-16 winners over the SWD Eagles in Welkom; and the Simbas from Kenya earned a 35-12 triumph over the Border Bulldogs in Alice.
The race to automatic promotion to the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division for the top South African team in the First Division – with only matches involving local sides counting towards this – is building up to be quite tight.
Eastern Province, who had a bye this weekend, still top the promotion barometer on 15 points from three games, but three sides are breathing down their necks on 10 points – the Down Touch Griffons, Valke and Leopards – while the SWD Eagles and Boland Kavaliers are still not out of contention on nine points each.
Results 07/05/2022
Simbas 35-12 Border Bulldogs
Leopards 25-15 Valke
Down Touch Griffons 40-16 SWD Eagles
Zimbabwe Goshawks 23-22 Boland Kavaliers
